"Kandahar" is an epic tale of hope and courage, inspired by the true story of a woman's attempt to enter Afghanistan. Nafas, an Afghan-born Canadian journalist, returns to her homeland in a desperate attempt to reach her sister, who, overcome with grief after being injured by a landmine and her despair over the Taliban's systematic oppression of women, has vowed that she will commit suicide at the time of the next solar eclipse, only three days away. Clothed in the traditional head-to-toe burka, and posing as a subservient wife, Nafas' odyssey takes her across a dramatic desert landscape, where she encounters bandits, corpse-robbers, marooned exiles, overwhelmed Red Cross workers, hordes of land-mine victims, and, finally, a wedding procession that brings her within eyeshot of Kandahar.

Originally released as a motion picture in 2001. Special features: original theatrical trailer; international trailer; commentary track by Nelofer Pazira; documentary, "Lifting the veil"; cast & director bios; photo gallery. DVD format. Special features: original theatrical trailer, international trailer, "Lifting the Veil," a documentary about the film; cast and director bios and photo gallery. Stars Niloufar Pazira, Hassan Tantai, Sadou Teymouri, Hoyatala Hakimi. Not rated. Produced by Makmalbaf Film House, Iran. Special features: theatrical trailer; international trailer; commentary; documentary Lifting the veil; cast & director bios; photo gallery; Farsi and English with English and French subtitles. Cannes Film Festival, 2001.